Everyone pays the price to protect those you love. Edward knew the price he was willing to pay as he saved Thomas and he was willing to risk it all in order to protect his brother from living a nightmare.
Author's Notes. Please read
Hey everyone! So, this is my first story ever for the 'Thomas the Tank Engine' section on this website, ever. I just got back into the franchise after meeting the amazing author, Raphianna. After getting to know her, she introduced me to the pairings she and our other author friend, Goldsaddletank.
At first, I was confused because I haven't watched Thomas and Friends since 'The Magic Railroad.' But after watching some episodes, and movies, of the CGI animations, I can see why the pairings like work. So, in my future Thomas stories, I will only use THESE ships because in all honesty, I don't see how some of the "main" ships work but that's just my opinion. Everyone has a right to their own opinions on who should be paired with who so I would like it if you respect my ships for my stories.
Also, Raphianna has edited this chapter because in all honesty, I suck at it, terribly. So, this is a shout out to her as a thank you for being an amazing friend and sister so thank you so much! She is also the one who made the cover art for this story so thank you once again! ^^
With all of that said, I can now do some quick notes for people to know. For starters, please don't send reviews that are about you hating the ships I'm using. Words hurt and everyone has the right to create and use ships of any kind in FICTIONAL stories where anything can happen. Just because people use one "main" couple for their stories doesn't mean its the right couple for the franchise and that everyone should ship them.
Italics are used for thinking, flashbacks and dreams/nightmares.
The ships that will be shown mostly are Thomas/James and Edward/Henry.
In this story, Thomas and Edward have a brotherly relationship so they call each other brothers.
And I believe that is everything I wanted to say so I hope you enjoy this story and to not criticize it because it contains ships that you don't like.
DISCLAIMER: Thomas and Friends characters and places belong to Rev. Awdry and Mattel(they suck XP) while the cover art belongs to Raphianna
"Go James! Go!" Thomas yelled as he quickly pushed Theo across the tracks, clearing the path of empty cars for James to escape.
Looking back, he watched his shinning ruby speed past them, heading towards the exit of the Steelworks. Happy that James was able to escape, Thomas smiled. As he moved his eyes to look forward, he gasped. The cars started to lift and topple over, the corner of one of the trucks pressing a button.
As Thomas and Theo slowed down, Thomas felt a heavy piece of metal land on top of his cab, lifting him up off the ground and into the air.
Thomas cried out in shock as he watched himself being lifted, too high above the ground. "Help! Help!" He yelled in fear.
He frantically looked around, but fear gripped his boiler as he felt the magnet begin to move. He whimpered a bit as he was slowly being moved over a huge pot full of burning, hot smelt. "No, no, no, no!" He whimpered as the magnet stopped over the molten metal, the warmth from it starting make his wheels heat up.
"Don't worry, I'll get you down Thomas!" Theo yelled as he started to push on the cars.
"Oh no you don't!" Hurricane exclaimed as he was quickly coupled to the experimental engine, before pulling him back, preventing him from moving the cars.
"Let me go!" Theo exclaimed as he tried to move forward, without any luck.
"And make our favorite engine leave? I don't think so." Frankie said as she backed up, blocking Theo's view of the cars. "He just returned to us and now you want him to leave? He promised to help us here at the Steelworks." She said tauntingly, moving her gaze to look up at Thomas, smiling.
"I only agreed as a thank you for taking my goods train to Bridlington's yard! I didn't agree to actually work here without the chance of going home!" Thomas yelled as he slowly swayed over the hot smelt. The panic rose in him as he felt his wheels start to heat up even more.
To him, it felt like his wheels were on fire and he was struggling to hold in a pain-filled whimper as he glared at the two Steelworks' engines.
"But you must stay! It's only fair that you do." Hurricane explained as he was uncoupled from Theo, riding around the works until he faced Thomas.
"Thomas!" A familiar voice yelled out from across the hot building.
The voice was filled with fear and panic as the sounds of puffing began to get louder. Thomas looked over to see the two experimental engines, Merlin and Lexi, and James in the middle, who were racing towards them.
Thomas watched at James moved faster than the other the two. He could see the fear, worry, and panic in his ruby's eyes; it made his boiler ache with anxiety, desperately wanting to be with him. He wanted to go back to Sodor with the red tender engine and forget the mess they both put themselves in.
"He's going back to Sodor!" James yelled. "I came here looking for him and I'm not leaving without him!" He shouted as he glared at the steamie and diesel in front of him.
Hurricane and Frankie both looked at each other and smirked, both having the same idea. Looking back up at Thomas, their eyes shimmered with a dark and sinister intention. Just looking at them made Thomas' boiler shiver.
His panic and fear only increased when he saw some of the steelworkers leave Hurricane's and Frankie's cabs and stand near a lever that more than likely controlled the magnet that held him. A great sense of dread filled Thomas' entire body and his eyes widened in fear.
"Alright. You win. You can take him back home with you." Frankie said, eerily calm as she smiled darkly at the red tender engine.
"But only as metal sheets! Do it now!" Hurricane yelled as one of the workers immediately pressed a button. Almost instantly, the magnet's hold on Thomas loosened and dropped him.
"Thomas!" Lexi, Merlin, and Theo cried out in terror as they watched their new friend fall towards the cauldron of molten iron.
Thomas yelled in fear as time seemed to slow down for him. He watched the smelt grow brighter as he neared it, and he felt the heat of it started to melt part of his body. He could feel his paint bubble, and his wheels started to melt just from the heat. The agonizing pain of being burnt shot throughout him, and he could no longer hold in his screams of pain.
As he closed his eyes, he saw memories appearing before him, but fading away as just as quick as they came.
When he first arrived on Sodor in his green livery, to Gordon pulling him along with the Express, getting his branch line, all the friends he met, to him figuring out his feelings for James when he was trapped here.
Opening his eyes, he slowly looked over at the red engine, his eyes filled with anguish, pain, and fear as tears slid down his face. James himself looked back in horror as he saw him, his Thomas, his shinning blue star falling to his death.
Tears fell from his own eyes as he looked at Thomas, both filled with the wanting, the need to be with each other, yet both of them knew, it wouldn't ever happen.
As Thomas closed his eyes, he felt himself land in the smelt. The pain completely overwhelmed him as he felt his body start to melt instantly. Yet before he completely fell in, he heard his ruby's voice yell out one more time before he was completely submerged.
"THOMAS!"
Thomas gasped as he jolted awake from his sleep. In his panic, he backed up and bumped into the buffers of his shed, causing him to fully regain consciousness. Blinking his eyes, he panted hard, but quietly as he looked at around. No longer was he in the Steelworks, but home.
Tidmouth Sheds. The place where he knew he was protected from anyone else who dared try and hurt him.
It was about a week since he and James returned from the Mainland, something they both will never forget. Thomas still felt bad about taking James' goods train, but he was tired of him always teasing him, yet it didn't teeter his feelings for him.
It was on their way back to Sodor that they both admitted their feelings towards each other. It was one of Thomas' happiest days when he found out that James felt the same way about him.
And yet, even after that, he still suffered from nightmares about the Steelworks. Each nightmare he had only got worse but this one, was the worst one of all.
Panting softly, Thomas slowly puffed forward a bit, back to his original spot, before looking to his left. He saw Emily on the far left, with Percy next to her and Edward, his adopted big brother next to him. Smiling, knowing that they were safe, he looked to the right.
Henry was on the far right, as was Gordon, and finally James, his shinning ruby. He stared at James as he slept, listening to his soft breathing, knowing that he too, was safe. He blushed a bit before he looked over at Edward.
He smiled as he stared at his older brother, thinking of the times they had. From Edward teaching him how to shunt cars to playing a game of either chase or hide-n-seek. He was the first friend Thomas made when he first arrived on Sodor. Edward seemed to be the first one who cared for him as well.
He looked up to Edward as a mentor at first, but then, it just felt natural to call him big brother.
Now knowing that everyone was safe, Thomas allowed himself to relax, and he looked down at the ground; but he was so deeply lost in his thoughts, that he didn't hear someone stir before waking up.
"Thomas?" A soft voice whispered next to him.
Thomas jumped a bit before looking over to see Edward looking at him in worry. Thomas breathed a sigh of relief as he saw it was his older brother.
"Are you alright?" Edward asked quietly, being careful about not waking up the other engines.
"N-no, I'm not. Just… another nightmare about the Steelworks…" Thomas said quietly before looking back down at the ground.
Edward continued to look at his little brother in concern. He knew Thomas has been having problems sleeping since his return, but this one seemed to be worst. The last few nights, Thomas would only whimper and talk quietly as he slept. Yet tonight, he was jolted awake from his sleep.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Edward asked softly.
Thomas bit his lip, but after a minute, he spoke.
"I… I was trapped against the magnet at the Steelworks hanging over the smelt. Theo was trying to free me, but Hurricane pulled him away. James, Lexi and Merlin came back to try to help me but… one of the workmen there pushed a button and I fell in…" Thomas started but stopped as he started to cry again as the memory of his dream came back.
Thomas closed his eyes and gritted his teeth to stop himself from crying out and waking the other engines. His body trembled as he sobbed quietly to himself.
Edward's eyes filled with sadness as he finished his statement in his head. He shuttered a bit as he imaged seeing Thomas falling into the burning smelt. Quietly, he slowly puffed out of his berth and onto the turntable, waiting for it to spin him around to face Thomas. Once it did, he silently rode off the turntable and into Thomas' berth.
"Thomas…" Edward stated as he slowly came to a halt, his buffers gently pressing against the smaller engine. Thomas sniffed and opened his eyes, looking up at him as fresh tears roll down his cheeks.
"Don't cry Little Brother. You're safe here. No one will ever let any harm come to you again. You have my promise." Edward said gently as he smiled softly.
Thomas smiled a bit as he slowly stopped crying, his eyes now red, irritated by his tears. He gently moved forward to press his buffers against Edward some more before looking back up at him.
"I know Edward. Thank you…" He said softly as he yawned slightly. Edward chuckled at his brother's yawn and smiled.
"Get some sleep Little Brother." Edward said softly as he saw Thomas slowly close his eyes.
Once Thomas was asleep, Edward quietly backed out of his berth before getting on the turntable again. He frowned a bit as he tried to think of something that would help Thomas stop having nightmares. But no matter how hard he thought, nothing came to mind.
He sighed softly, hating that he couldn't think of anything. Backing up into his own berth, Edward gazed at Thomas one last time, before the older tender engine yawned and closed his eyes, falling into a deep sleep.
The next morning, everyone was awake, and leaving Tidmouth one by one. As Thomas waited for his turn, he looked over at James. James himself was already looking at him and smiling. Thomas smiled back. Though a nagging thought hung in the back of his mind.
'Should I tell him…?'
Thomas looked away from James and sighed. 'Later. We have work to do.'
James felt a little worried as he watched his blue star look away from him, but he didn't have time to ask; it was his turn to leave the sheds.
As he left, he knew he had to ask him what was wrong.
Later, Thomas was working in the docks, shunting empty cars to their needed and correct positions. But as he finished his last line-
"Steady those! They're extremely hot!"
"We know that!"
"Be careful!"
Looking up, Thomas gasped as he saw three lidded metal cauldrons being brought down one by one onto separate flatbeds.
Even though they had lids, Thomas still saw the bright glow of molten smelt inside from the tiny space between the lid and actual caldron.
Thomas shivered.
The hot, burning smelt seared his body as he sank lower and lower. He could no longer scream due to the pain, so he merely clenched his teeth together, and shut his eyes. He wanted to stop sinking, but what could he do? Slowly, he finally felt the smelt touch his face…
Thomas' eyes shot open as the daydream left his mind. Before he could stop himself, he reversed and harshly shoved into empty cars, previously shunted by him.
"Woah, Thomas!" Came a new voice. "What's with the sudden burst of energy?"
Thomas looked up to be met with Cranky. Sighing in relief, He spoke. "C-Cranky… what are those doing here?" He asked, looking over at the caldrons.
Cranky turned his body to see what Thomas meant. "Well, why do you want to know?"
"Just. Tell me, Cranky." Thomas said impatiently, with a hint of anger.
Stunned by Thomas' sudden change of attitude, Cranky stared at him. "Well, they're here from the Mainland to go to the Steamworks. They needed a special type of smelt to make stronger parts for you engines, and right now only the Mainland has it."
Breathing deeply, Thomas closed his eyes. After a moment, he involuntarily started shaking.
Now Cranky normally wouldn't care about another engine's behavior, but Thomas seemed to be… genuinely scared. "Thomas… are you alright?"
"I'm… I'm fine." Thomas huffed, his voice strained. There was anger in his voice, but this time, Cranky heard, sadness.
Before he had a chance to ask Thomas what was wrong again, the little tank engine sped away.
'I have to see him, I have to see him, I have to see him!' Thomas chanted desperately in his mind as he raced to the Vicarstown yard. As he went down the line, he tried his best to keep the tears in his eyes at bay.
When he arrived, Thomas frantically looked around the yard, until he spotted him. Nearby, shunting cars full of carrots, was the red tender engine.
Thomas swallowed, before racing forwards once more. "James!"
James grumbled as he shunted some cars into a siding. He was quite cross with Sir Topham Hatt for tasking him to shunt. He wanted to pull coaches and not deal with smelly cars. He stopped shunting, however, and backed up onto the other track as he heard a frantic cry from a voice he knew all too well; his shining blue star.
"Thomas?" James asked he watched the small engine racing towards him.
He winced a bit as he heard Thomas' brakes screech, as he stopped just in front of the red tender engine. His eyes widened when he saw tears falling down Thomas' cheeks. Immediately, he knew that something was terribly wrong.
"Thomas? What's wrong?" James asked as he slowly puffed forward a bit, gently pressing his buffers against the younger engine. He noticed how Thomas had his eyes shut tightly and watched as his body shook as he cried.
"E-everything!" The blue tank engine cried. "After we came back from the Mainland, I-I haven't been able to sleep. I keep having nightmares about the Steelworks and… and…" He whimpered as he struggled to talk; instead, his crying increased.
Frowning in worry for his blue star, James started to gently push Thomas into a siding. Thomas' eyes shot opened as he felt himself moving and watched as James moved the both of them to the siding away from the tracks, his eyes never leaving the others'.
Keeping their buffers touching, James stared at Thomas' face, his eyes filled with concern and worry.
"It's alright Thomas. Just take a deep breath and calm down. Now then, what's going on?" James asked softly, wanting Thomas to talk about his problems but also not wishing to force him.
Taking a deep breath, Thomas tried to fight the tears that threatened to fall as he started shaking again.
"I-I keep having nightmares about the Steelworks. At first, they weren't so bad, mostly of me never escaping there or you never coming to rescue me. Then they started to get worse, like one where we both ended up trapped there and… one where you left me behind, saying how I wasn't worth it." Thomas whispered, his attitude just as blue as his paintwork.
"Then last night… it seemed to be the worst one I had yet. I-I was attached to the magnet again and hanging over the hot smelt. It felt like my wheels where melting from the heat. Hurricane stopped Theo from moving the cars that toppled onto the control panel and you came rushing back to help me. But then… one of the workers pushed a button and… I fell in." Thomas explained as he closed his eyes, the memories of the nightmare rushing back to him.
"Oh Thomas…" James started as he presses his buffers against Thomas' own a bit more, trying to comfort him. "It was only a nightmare. Nothing more. You're home, you're safe and you have me and the others here with you. I promise." James said thoughtfully as he looked at him with eyes full of love.
Sniffling a bit, Thomas smiled at the tender engine in front of him, trying to blow some tears away from his cheeks. Then he frowned a bit and looked down at their buffers.
"It's gotten so bad James. Just this morning, as I was shunting at the docks, they were unloading cauldrons of hot smelt. Cranky was saying how they're going to be sent to the Steamworks, for its molten iron is stronger than what we have here. It's there so that the workers can use it to make stronger parts for us if any of us break down. But… I panicked so much that I sped off. I didn't want to be there in case I had to pull them. So, I came here to tell you that I'm not alright. I'm tired, I'm scared, and I keep fearing that I'm going to wake up and still be at the Steelworks." Thomas confessed quietly as his gaze never left their buffers.
James frowned a bit as he listened to Thomas' story. He knew that Thomas had been having nightmares, because sometimes he was woken up by his whimpers.
But he didn't know it was this bad.
Looking around, he wondered how to cheer his blue engine up. He smiled as he looked down at the smaller engine, gently nudging him, which caused Thomas to look up at him sadly.
"How about when we're done with our work, we go to Henry's forest. Just the two of us. We won't have to worry about the others disturbing us and we can have some alone time. How does that sound?" James suggested, smiling a bit.
Taking a shaky breath, Thomas slowly smiled at his shining ruby. He blushed a bit as he continued to stare at him, but his smile slowly widened.
"I-I would love that James. Thank you." He said softly. His tears had long since stopped, but his eyes were still red from crying.
"Then we better get back to being really useful engines. I don't want Sir Topham Hatt getting cross at either of us, even though I'd rather be pulling my coaches instead of shunting these dirty cars." James said bitterly as he glared at the empty cars, slowly backing up to get onto the other track.
Thomas giggled a bit as he slowly followed James out of the siding, the blush still visible on his cheeks. Moving onto the other track, he watched as his ruby moved across the tracks. He laughed a bit as he heard James grumble to himself as he shunted the cars.
"Oh yeah, before I forget, Sir Topham Hatt wants you to take these trucks to Brendam Docks." James said as he pushed a few cars behind Thomas.
Thomas watched as the workers coupled him up to the trucks that were a mix of oil, coal and quarry stone.
"Thank you and bye James. Love you!" Thomas called out as he slowly puffed out of the yard, heading back towards the docks.
James blew his whistle twice as he watches his blue star puffing off, still blushing. He smiled as he watched him leave, until he was out of his sight, even though his worry for him still lingered in his boiler.
"Look at his face. He's almost as red as when that one bee stung him!" One of the empty cars said tauntingly as they and the other cars started to laugh.
"Oh, will you troublesome cars be quiet?!" James exclaimed as he roughly shunted the line of cars in front of him.
He smirked to himself as they finally stopped chattering, only to have his eyes widen as he watched some of them derail and fall onto their side. "Oh no…" He muttered as the cars busted out laughing. He knew he'd be in trouble and that it was only a matter of time until Sir Topham Hatt arrived.
"Good Morning Cranky. Good morning Carly." Henry said, smiling at the two cranes in Brendam Docks as he slowed to a stop next to Cranky.
"Morning…" Cranky huffed as he turns, lowering his hook onto a boat.
"Good Morning Henry!" Carly said happily as she slowly moves to the left, a pallet of boxes attached to her hook.
Salty was slowly moving the flatbed with the cauldrons of burning hot smelt towards Henry. "Morning matey." The diesel chuckled as he slowly stops at the green mixed-traffic tender engine. "This be here yer train for the Steamworks." He smiled as he backed up away from the flatbeds.
"Thank you Salty." Henry smiled as he slowly backs his tender box to the flatbeds.
He stopped a few inches away from the flatbed and waited for one of the dock workers to couple him up to it. Cranky was slowly turning around after lifting a pallet with a lot of metal pipes tied up to it. As he was slowly moving it over the flatbeds, he felt a stretching feeling in the metal rope attached to his hook. Looking at it, he watched as a piece of the hook started to crack.
"Look out!" Cranky cried out as his hook snapped and the pallet of metal pipes dropped.
The workmen, Henry and Salty quickly moved out of the way as the pallet of metal pipes fell. It crashed onto the side of the flatbeds containing the smelt as the pipes scattered across the tracks. The impact of the pallet and pipes caused the flatbed to sway before tipping over. Smelt poured and flowed out of the cauldrons as they hit the ground. Steam rose up as the ground, tracks and some of the pipes started to melt as a huge puddle of smelt formed.
"Cinders and ashes…" Henry gasped as he looked at the damage as he puffed up to Salty after going around the docks.
"Oh no…" Cranky groaned worriedly, knowing that he caused confusion and delay at the docks as he looked down at the mess he created by accident.
Not far away from the docks, Thomas smiled as he pulled the goods train towards Brendam. A slight blush was still on his cheeks as he remembers what James said.
"James is right, I am safe here." Thomas hummed in satisfaction. "And I can't wait to go to Henry's forest with him." He smiled, the blush becoming a bit darker.
He puffed up the hill the leads towards the docks. A loud 'CRACK' was heard as he made it to the top of the hill. "Huh?" Thomas pondered, wondering what the crack was. Starting to go down the hill, he put on his breaks only to have his eyes widen in fear. His breaks had stopped working.
"On! On! On! On!" The cars laughed as they started to push Thomas down the hill.
"Stop!" Thomas cried out in fear as he tried to make his breaks work. "Help!" He called out as he fireman and driver started to pull down on the break lever. Thomas panicked as the goods train continued to push him down the tracks at dangerous speed. He thought about the time when he took Edward's goods train years ago and had the same thing happen to him as it did now. Speeding down the tracks, he noticed a blue tender engine puffing down the tracks next to his. "Edward! Help!" Thomas cried out as he sped past Sodor's number 2 engine.
"Thomas?!" Edward gasped in shock as he watched his brother sped past him. Narrowing his eyes in determination, he sped down the tracks, following him. Panting a bit, he eventually caught up to Thomas.
"I can't stop!" Thomas cried out as he looked at his brothers. His wheels ached from the speed he was traveling as he felt sick to his boiler. "My breaks broke, and the cars keep pushing me!" He yelled out worriedly.
"I'll try to stop you!" Edward panted as his driver slowly climbed onto his running plate. He did this once before when some kids were messing with James' controls, causing him to become a runaway. The number 2 engine panted as he kept himself slightly in front of Thomas but watched as Thomas slowly got in front of him. Edward's wheels ached as he puffed his pistons as fast as he could, trying to catch him as he driver slowly climbed back into Edward's cab.
Both Thomas and Edward could see Brendam Docks coming into view and the tank engine felt a sinking feeling enter his boiler. He whimpered as he continues to try use his breaks, even though he knew it wouldn't work. Both engines flew into the docks but what they saw in front of them caused their bodies to go cold. In front of them was the huge puddle of smelt, still flaming hot as the steam and heat rose into the air. They also noticed the metals pipes scattered across the tracks, some melting while sitting in the puddle.
Thomas' eyes widen in fear as he stares at the smelt getting closer and closer. The images from his nightmare just last night flashed into his mind. He could hear Frankie's and Hurricane's laughter as he felt the heat of the smelt got closer as he fell from the magnet. He cried out as tears fell from his eyes.
"Thomas!" Edward, Henry, Cranky, Carly, and Salty yelled out in fear as they watched the tank engine heading straight towards the molten smelt puddle.
Edward bit his lip fearfully as he looks at the broken face of Thomas. The tears falling and the look of absolute fear on his face made Edward's boiler ache. Looking ahead of him, he noticed a metal pipe laying across the track he was on. He was about to use his breaks when an idea flew into his funnel. He took a deep breath as he sped down the tracks, slowly passing Thomas as he heads straight towards the pipe.
"Edward!" Henry cried out worriedly, watching as his sapphire sped up towards the metal pipe instead of slowing down.
'Oh Lady, please let this work.' Edward thought as he sped as fast as his could. His driver and fireman jumped out of his cab when he ran into the pipe.
He groaned in pain as he felt his front wheels break and bend upon hitting the pipe at full speed. The pipe rolled under him, causing his wheels to crack and his coupling rods break. He closed his eyes as he felt himself tipping onto his side. Thomas gasped as he watched his brother hit the metal pipe head on. He was confused on why he did that, and his eyes widen as he watched the number 2 engine start to derail onto his side, straight at him. Thomas closed his eyes as he felt Edward fall onto him, the force causing him to derail on his side as well.
Some of the troublesome cars fell onto their side while the rest just crashed into each other. Thomas groaned as he slowly skidded to a stop, away from smelt. Coughing a bit from the dust, he slowly opened his eyes, only to widen them in fear as he watched his older brother. Henry, Salty and Cranky also looked on in fear as Edward, laying on his side, slid into the smelt, coming to a stop in the middle.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
The loud, agonizing scream left Edward's mouth as he felt the molten steel start to melt his body. He felt his wheels melting like butter as his running plate, boiler, coupling rods started to sink slightly from how much the smelt was melting him. He clenched his eyes shut as he felt the smelt start to burn the right side of his face. Never has he felt so much pain at this intensity in his life before. The water in his boiler bubbled faster from the heat of the smelt that it felt like his entire body was engulfed in flames. His tender box had detached itself from him as it laid near the edge off the smelt puddle, it to was melting as the pile of coal caught on fire from the heat.
Sirens could be heard getting closer, despite Edward's agonizing screams, as the Search and Rescue Team arrived. Belle and Flynn gasped at that sight of their friend slowly being melted alive. Without hesitation, they quickly aimed their water cannons at Edward and the spilled smelt and started firing water at the scene. Steam quickly rose up and covered the entire area when the smelt was instantly cooling down from the cold water. Cracking and snapping sounds could be heard within the steamed covered area as the melted tracks and Edward was cooled down. Within minutes, Belle and Flynn ceased their water cannons once all the spilt smelt was completely cooled down.
Thomas quickly moved his eyes around as felt Rocky slowly pulling him into an upright position. Worriedly looking around, his eyes widen as a gasp left his mouth. In front of him laid Edward. His beautiful blue livery was scorched and bubbly from the heat of the smelt. His tender box was burnt when the coal had caught on fire and the livery was almost completely black. Cracks covered Edward's body was the harden smelt encased the parts of Edward it covered in a harden case. His wheels were cracked and broken as half of his funnel was melted. But what made Thomas start to panic was the lack of sound the came from his older brother.
"Edward…" Thomas cried out as tears fell from his eyes. He clenched his eyes shut and gritted his teeth, causing more tears to fall.
"EDWARD!"